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Selectra
Updated May 2026

Compare 14+ UK broadband providers & TV deals

From BT, Sky and Virgin to challenger ISPs offering full-fibre at half the price — every UK broadband provider, package and switching guide in one place. Independent reviews, no sponsored rankings.

Independent reviews. Ofcom data cited. Updated for 2026.

14+

UK providers reviewed

1 Gbps

Top fibre speed (UK)

£200+

Avg yearly switch saving

1-touch

Ofcom switch process

The UK broadband market has changed dramatically. Openreach full-fibre now reaches 18 million homes, Virgin Media O2 offers gigabit cable across most cities, and dozens of altnets deliver pure FTTP at street level. The result: more choice, lower prices and faster speeds than ever.

But picking the right deal is harder than ever. Speeds vary by postcode, mid-contract price hikes inflate advertised rates, and providers slice packages into ever-smaller tiers. This hub gives you everything you need to compare: independent provider reviews, in-depth guides on speed, contracts and TV bundles, plus the latest Ofcom market news.

Every article on the hub

Explore all 27 UK broadband & TV articles

Filter by topic — provider reviews, fibre speed, cheap deals, how-to switching guides and business broadband.

Major

BT Broadband

Provider · Big Three

The UK’s largest broadband provider with fibre packages from 36 Mbps to 900 Mbps. Read our full BT broadband review, prices and packages.

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Major

Sky Broadband

Provider · Big Three

Sky bundles broadband with Sky TV, Netflix and Sky Sports. Compare Sky Stream, Sky Glass and Sky Q packages with our independent guide.

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Major

Virgin Media

Provider · Up to 1 Gbps

Virgin uses its own cable network, with speeds up to 1 Gbps in many cities. Check availability, plans and TV bundles before you sign up.

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Major

Vodafone Broadband

Provider · Best value

Vodafone has built a strong full-fibre offer with simple pricing and no mid-contract surprise hikes. See our review, deals and outage page.

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EE Broadband

Provider · BT-owned

EE leans on the BT Openreach network and bundles mobile data with home broadband. Read our review and current EE broadband packages.

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TalkTalk Broadband

Provider · Budget

TalkTalk is one of the cheapest mainstream providers, with simple fixed-price contracts and no inflation-linked mid-contract hikes.

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Plusnet Broadband

Provider · Award winner

Plusnet has won the Which? customer service award seven times. We rate its broadband, speeds, contract terms and support.

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Three Broadband

Provider · 5G home

Three sells 5G home broadband over its mobile network — no engineer, no phone line. See if it’s a good fit for your address.

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Post Office Broadband

Provider · Budget

A no-frills, low-cost provider. We look at speeds, prices, contract length and customer service for Post Office home broadband.

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Shell Broadband

Provider · Loyalty perks

Shell Energy Broadband targets Shell fuel customers with discounts. Full review, packages, speeds and ongoing price changes.

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Cuckoo Broadband

Provider · No contract

Cuckoo offers fibre with no fixed-term lock-in and a flat price. We rate it on speed, support and value for money.

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Origin Broadband

Provider · Independent

A Doncaster-based independent provider with fibre and ADSL packages. Full Origin Broadband review and current deals.

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John Lewis Broadband

Provider · Discontinued

John Lewis no longer accepts new broadband customers. Read our archive on what existing John Lewis Broadband customers should do.

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SSE Broadband

Provider · Migrated

SSE Broadband customers have been moved to OVO. We explain what changed, what to expect and how to switch if you’re unhappy.

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Cheapest broadband UK

Guide · Compare

Side-by-side comparison of the cheapest broadband packages in the UK — under £20/month deals, fixed-price tariffs and student-only offers.

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Fastest broadband UK

Guide · Compare

Where to find 1 Gbps fibre, who delivers true gigabit and which providers actually meet their advertised speeds.

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Broadband in my area

Guide · Check

How to check which fibre, full-fibre and cable providers cover your UK postcode, including Openreach, Virgin and altnets.

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No-contract broadband

Guide · Flexible

Rolling monthly broadband packages with no 12 or 24-month commitment — useful for renters, students and short-term lets.

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Student broadband deals

Guide · Students

Nine-month contracts, student loans-friendly billing dates and the cheapest broadband for shared houses.

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Switch broadband provider

How-to · Step-by-step

Switching is now a one-touch process under Ofcom’s One Touch Switch rules. We walk you through it, including fees and notice periods.

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Cancel broadband

How-to · Step-by-step

How to cancel broadband without paying exit fees: cooling-off period, end of contract, moving home and complaints process.

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Broadband cancellation rules

How-to · Rights

Your legal rights when cancelling: 14-day cooling-off, price-rise cancellation, mid-contract exit fees and how Ofcom protects you.

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Broadband speed test

Guide · Tool

Free broadband speed test plus what download, upload and ping really mean for streaming, gaming and remote work.

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Broadband without phone line

Guide · Setup

Full-fibre and 5G home broadband no longer need a landline. See which providers drop line rental and what the savings look like.

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Best business broadband

Guide · Business

Dedicated leased lines, SLAs, static IPs and which providers actually offer business-grade support.

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Small business broadband

Guide · Business

The right broadband for cafés, shops, salons and home offices: speeds, security, contract length and what to negotiate.

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Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

Guide · Funding

Government vouchers for rural businesses and homes upgrading to gigabit broadband. Eligibility, amounts and how to apply.

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6 things to check

How to choose the right UK broadband provider

The cheapest headline price is rarely the best deal. Here are the six things that actually matter when picking a broadband package in 2026.

Real speed at your address

Advertised speeds are network averages. Use a postcode checker first — Openreach FTTC, full-fibre and Virgin cable vary street by street.

Total cost over the contract

Most providers raise prices mid-contract by inflation + 3–4%. Add up every monthly bill, setup fee and router charge before comparing.

Contract length & flexibility

12, 18 or 24 months — and a handful of no-contract rolling plans. Long contracts unlock the lowest price but cost more if you move or switch.

Customer service track record

Ofcom publishes complaints data each quarter. Plusnet and Sky consistently rank well; bigger names with the cheapest deals often score worst.

TV, phone & mobile bundles

Bundles look cheap upfront but lock you in for two years. Streaming sticks plus a separate broadband line is often cheaper and more flexible.

Exit fees & switching rules

Ofcom’s One Touch Switch (since April 2024) means your new provider handles the switch. Check exit fees, notice periods and end-of-contract reminders.

How much you could save

How much can you save by switching broadband?

Out-of-contract broadband customers pay an average £40 more per year than new customers on the same network. Ofcom estimates around 5.5 million UK households are out of contract right now — most could switch in minutes under the One Touch Switch rules.

£200+

Typical yearly switch saving

17 min

Average switch sign-up time

£0

Cost of using Selectra

Source: Ofcom Pricing Trends 2025. Savings vary by postcode, provider and length of out-of-contract period.

Why Selectra

An independent UK broadband & TV hub

Selectra has been helping UK households compare broadband and energy since 2017. Three principles guide everything we publish.

1

No sponsored rankings

Our provider reviews are written from publicly available data, customer feedback and Ofcom reports — not from how much a provider pays us.

2

Free for households

We earn commission from a handful of partner providers when readers sign up by phone. The commission never changes the price you pay or the providers we cover.

3

Refreshed for 2026

Every guide is reviewed at least once a year to reflect current Ofcom rules, provider packages and broadband technology — including One Touch Switch and altnets.

Broadband FAQ

The Selectra expert answers your questions

Yes. You can browse all reviews and guides for free, and our broadband phone line is also free to use. We are paid commission by a small panel of partner providers when a reader signs up through us, but the price you pay is the same as going directly to the provider and the commission does not change which providers we cover.

We aim to write about every mainstream UK provider — BT, Sky, Virgin, Vodafone, EE, TalkTalk, Plusnet, Three, Post Office, Shell, Cuckoo, Origin and more. We only place outbound sign-up calls with a small panel of partner providers; everyone else is covered with editorial reviews and links to their official site.

Since 12 April 2024, Ofcom’s One Touch Switch rules mean your new provider handles the entire switch. You contact them, they request the switch from your old provider, and you receive notice of any exit fees within one working day. Most households complete the process in under 20 minutes online.

Full-fibre — also called FTTP, fibre-to-the-premises — runs a fibre optic cable all the way to your home, with no copper section. It is typically far faster (300 Mbps to 1 Gbps), more reliable and no longer needs a landline. Around 18 million UK homes can now order full-fibre, depending on postcode.

Yes. Full-fibre packages from BT, Vodafone, Sky, Virgin Media and most altnets no longer require line rental — there is no copper phone line at all. You can also get 5G home broadband from Three, EE and Vodafone, which uses the mobile network with no fixed line.

As of mid-2026, expect to pay around £20–£25/month for entry-level fibre (35–50 Mbps), £25–£35/month for fast fibre (60–150 Mbps) and £35–£50/month for full-fibre gigabit. Anything notably above that — especially out of contract — is a strong signal to switch.

Cut your bill before the next bill lands

Save up to £200 a year by switching broadband

Out-of-contract customers are quietly overpaying. Compare every UK provider with our independent reviews — or jump straight to the cheapest and fastest deals in your postcode.